The Criminal

In The Criminal, a prisoner is trapped between a cruel prison officer on the inside and a merciless crime boss on the outside. The film unfolds as a tense prison drama. The storyline follows his struggle to survive the opposing forces, highlighting the stark contrast between institutional brutality and organised crime.

The Criminal is a programme classified as a movie‑type production. It falls squarely within the prison drama genre, presenting a gritty look at life behind bars. It's presented as a standalone piece rather than a series, and its focus is on the stark realities of confinement and crime. The central narrative follows an inmate who finds himself squeezed between two dangerous forces. On the inside, he must endure the cruelty of a sadistic warder, while on the outside, a ruthless underworld kingpin exerts a threatening influence. This dual pressure drives the tension that permeates the story. He's forced to navigate loyalties and survival in a hostile environment. The film is headlined by Stanley Baker, whose performance anchors the gritty atmosphere, and Sam Wanamaker, who adds depth to the criminal world depicted. Their involvement underscores the stark contrast between the institutional oppression inside the prison and the lawless power structures outside its walls. Together they portray the conflicted reality of a man caught in a deadly tug‑of‑war. Overall, The Criminal delivers a compact portrayal of prison life, focusing on the relentless pressures faced by an inmate squeezed between internal brutality and external criminal ambition. It's concise storytelling and the performances of its two leads keep the tension tight throughout the runtime.